Today
by Tanz
Summary: Will returns. Forever.


Today.

Today I will kiss my husband's lips for the first time in ten years.

Today I will hold him in my arms.

Today he will meet his son for the first time.

I stand here on the cliff overlooking the ocean, my arms around my son's shoulders, and my eyes fixed on the horizon. Below me, is the very beach that we shared our last day on ten years before. The very same beach that we conceived our son.

Our son. William James Turner III. It was only fitting I named him after my Will. Liam, as I call him to avoid confusion, is the spitting image of his father, and the only thing that has sustained me, kept me sane, these past ten years. I thank the lord every day for him, for that piece of himself that Will left behind for me to love.

I have raised our son to be proud of his heritage. From the day he was born I have told him of his father, of how brave and heroic he is and how much he loved us, how he would be with us again as soon as he could. From the age of 6, Liam has been counting the days, waiting for this very day to arrive. The day he finally gets to meet his father.

It is almost time. The sun is sinking further and further down. My heart is beating so fast I fear it will jump out of my chest. Liam looks up at me and I give him what I hope is a reassuring smile as both of our eyes return to the horizon. Then, there it is, the flash of green. The majestic sight of the Flying Dutchman appears.

Liam and I stand there for a moment, just watching, and then he is off, flying down the cliff to the sand as fast as his little legs would carry him. I don't recall moving but then I am there on the sand and I see him for the first time in ten years. My husband. My Will.

I come back to my body and suddenly I am running, flying toward him. He spots me, "Elizabeth..." I hear him murmur, as I fling myself at him, a choked sob breaking from my lips. "Will, Will, Will…" I whisper, kissing his cheeks, his neck, his hair and finally his mouth.

We kiss with urgency, a desperation that rocks me. His arms are tight around me, clasping me to him, so there is not but a breath between us. I feel my hot tears mingling with his, as he breaks the kiss and leans his forehead against mine. My hands are clasped tightly around his neck, and his are in my hair as I look into his beautiful eyes, the very same eyes as our son. "God, Elizabeth, I've missed you so" He says, his voice breaking. I smile tremulously as my hands cradle his precious face. "And I you, Will, more than you will ever know" I whisper back.

Will traces my cheek with his fingers. "You waited, ten years" he says quietly. I simply smile up at him "I would have waited a hundred" I whisper. He looks at me with infinite tenderness "I love you" he says "I have always loved you" and then he pulls me to him and I bury my face in his neck breathing in the smells of sweat and salt and sea and Will. Just Will. "I love you to, my husband" I whisper into his ear.

Suddenly I feel a tug on my skirts. Liam! I break from Will's arms and pull Liam to my side. I look at Will and see his eyes go wide with realization. I put my arm around Liam's shoulders. "Will this is William James Turner. Your son." I say softly. I watch as joy lights his face and I feel tears well in my eyes. He bends to his knees so he is looking Liam in the eyes. "Hello" he says simply. Liam looks at him for a full minute before he throws his arms around Will. I watch as father and son embrace for the first time and I cover my mouth to stifle the sobs.

Will looks up at me from over Liam's shoulder and I see the matching tears in his own eyes. He stands, with Liam still in his arms, and brings me to his side, his arm wrapped around my shoulders. He kisses the top of my head and murmurs, "Thank You" softly. I smile and lean my cheek against his chest and relish this first embrace of my family. Suddenly I freeze. I hear it. It cannot be.

I look up at Will and he smiles at me, happiness lighting up every crevice of his face. "I have done my duty. We were faithful for ten years. The curse is broken, I am free, a mortal once again" he says. I looked at him tears falling freely down my cheeks. I had hoped, dreamed, but never really believed this could happen. It was a dream come true. I kissed him again, laughing against his mouth. He was home, forever. Liam looked at us both curiously. "Papa where is your ship?" he says. Will looks at the horizon. "Gone son. Back to sea" he says quietly.

Liam puts his little hands on both sides of Will's face. "So you can stay?" he says hopefully. Will smiles and pulls me into a tighter embrace. "Yes son, I can stay. I can stay for always" he says. I smile up at my husband and my son as we begin walking up the beach. "Come on my boys. Lets go home" I say. Liam wriggles from his father's arms to run ahead, and Will puts both arms around me. "Home, sounds heavenly" he says, a smile on his lips and in his voice. I smile and wind my arms around his waist. "It will be now that you are home" I whisper. He smiles tenderly and I lead him up the hill to our little house on the hill that overlooks the ocean.

Today I got my husband back.

Today Liam got a father.

Today our life begins.


End file.
